In a statement issued today, Ben Taylor, Star Tribune senior vice president of Marketing and Communication, said the newspaper continues to disagree with the EEOC's allegations "and believes it would eventually prevail if the case were litigated."

However, Taylor said, "A settlement at this early stage allows the Star Tribune to avoid the expense, time commitment, disruption, and uncertainty of litigating a case that would likely last for years and cost more to defend than the settlement."

While Star Tribune officials acknowledge behavior "that did not meet the Star Tribune's standards for appropriate behavior," Taylor said the company disagrees with "the EEOC's assertions that the behavior rose to the level of being unlawful and that the Star Tribune did not tak appropriate steps to address the situation."

Lesson of the day: If you have a legitimate lawsuit to file against the Star Tribune, go for it. They sadly can't afford to defend themselves these days.